BENeighborhood.comhome of the Breckenridge Estates Neighborhood Association

 

 

March 11, 2007

Just a few quick things to pass along…

I am working on getting the website completely updated with all the new information for contacts, committees, etc. Please be patient as I only get a few minutes here and there to work on this – I promise it will be done soon. Many things have already been updated, take a minute to look around!

ID was updated with the current membership list a few weeks ago so if you have not paid your dues and were using the group discount with ID, be prepared to no longer see that group discount reflected on your next bill. Be sure to pay your dues now so you can continue to take advantage of these great savings!

We have TENTATIVELY (I will update the site when we get it set for certain) the spring junk pick up for April 26, 2007.  Many people have said that they would prefer to do a yard sale in the spring versus the fall…the neighborhood association is not yet going to make that change but as a test to see if it is worthwhile, consider holding a yard sale on Saturday, April 21, 2007 (the Saturday before the junk pick up day). We as an assoc. will not be running any ads but if enough people run their own and it appears to be a successful yard sale date, we may consider changing the annual yard sale to the spring.

There have been some violent crimes in the area in the last several weeks. Most of them fall outside the boundaries of BENA, but only by a street or two. Please be sure to keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior and report it! Several people have been mugged and beaten either with a stick or a piece of pipe – if you see people walking with these items, please report them to the police.

The lighting committee is meeting and deciding on the next phase of lighting. If you are currently paying for a street light and would like for BENA to consider taking over paying for that light, please contact Tom Higdon or a member of the lighting committee ASAP! As well, if you live in an are of the neighborhood that seems dark and would like a street light, please contact a member of the lighting committee. We still continue to have very low membership numbers in some areas of the neighborhood and while we know they need lighting, we cannot pay for lights that neighbors are not willing to join and pay for. TALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORS!

February 28, 2007

 

First, please let me apologize for the length of time it has taken me to get an update posted – I had some computer trouble and my husband had to completely redo my computer so between that and family obligations, I have not had time to sit down and get this done! 

Hopefully you are finding the newsletters very informative. We work very hard to make sure they are full of helpful information, not just ink on paper for the sake of having a newsletter. It has come to our attention that many people do not so much as look at the outside pages of the newsletter (evidenced by people stating they do not know where to find a membership form – it has been on the back page of every newsletter we have published!) much less taken the time to read what is inside. We may at some point consider only giving newsletters to those who are interested in them, rather than everyone as they do carry some expense, but we hesitate to do that as they are the best way to keep everyone informed of what is going on in the neighborhood (many neighbors do not have internet access). 

We had a great turnout at the general meeting on February 15 and elections were successfully held along with a VERY helpful presentation by Matt Vanderpool with the Louisville/Jefferson County Health Department regarding rats. We posted some general information regarding rats several weeks ago, but the information that Matt shared is much more user friendly and we want to be sure to pass that information along to you. That information can be found by clicking here. 

Elections were held and the newly elected board includes all of the past members, along with a couple of new faces. We would like to welcome Clancy DeCuir to the board as well as Albert Hampton and Charlie Ferville. We are excited to have some new faces and fresh ideas to add to the board! As of the end of the meeting, we were without representation in area 7 and had only one member in several other areas, however after the meeting three people came up and expressed they had decided that they would like to join the effort. These three will be voted in at the next board meeting, unless someone raises an objection between now and then and they are: Michelle Gay, Caroline Rosenthal (both in Area 7) and Kathleen Barker in Area 8.

Also exciting, there are several new committees forming to continue efforts in the area.  We are pleased to announce that Cheryl Wofford has stepped forward to chair the beautification committee and the welcoming committee is going to get going in the coming weeks as well. Please note the contact information for these chair committees on the committees page if you are interested in helping in any way.

The Neighborhood Watch is working well and growing stronger by the day, which is in everyone’s interests. Debbie along with all the area captains are working hard to keep neighbors informed and it is helping! 

There were several issues raised during the open forum time that we would like to share. I have worked on some of these issues and gotten answers to them so I am including those updates in blue.

One issue brought up was in regards to an announcement made by Councilman Kramer in a recent newsletter that speed humps may be a possibility on main thoroughfares such as Mannerdale and Hunsinger.  Some expressed great interest in this, other expressed distaste for the idea. I have followed up with Councilman Kramer’s office on this issue. There are no plans to place speed humps in the area in the foreseeable future as they are still doing studies as to their effectiveness and there is no funding to place them at this time.

Several issues were raised that are in regards to the efforts being started by the beautification committee.  Many neighbors have concerns about the drainage ditches that run behind their property, property that falls between fences and property that is at such a pitch that mowing it becomes difficult if not impossible, especially for some elderly residents. There are several sides to this that need to be addressed, not only from a beautification standpoint, but also safety and rat abatement.  Areas that become greatly overgrown provide shelter for all sorts of wildlife, including rats and these areas need to be addressed. There are some concerns that people raised that are simply a matter of a homeowner not having the physical ability to handle to grade of their property – this is not something that say MSD or other government entities will handle, we need to come together as a community to help those homeowners who are physically unable to clear/cut these areas and do these tasks for them.  The beautification committee is beginning to meet and when I receive information on their progress with regards to these issues, I will update this site. 

A big issue raised at the meeting is the intersection of Mannerdale and Hunsinger Lane where the turn lane has been added for the new patio homes. The turn lane is there for the patio homes and ends before the intersection at Mannerdale and Hunsinger, however people think that it continues and dangerous situations are now occurring at this intersection on a daily basis.  I have been in contact with Councilman Kramer’s office since the meeting who has forwarded the issues to Public Works. Public Works’ response was that they will repaint the lines to make it more clear that the lane is not there to be used as a turn lane for turning onto Hunsinger Lane from Mannerdale – this is not the answer we were seeking, as painted lines will not discourage people from using the extra width as a turn lane. We are going to continue to pursue this issue. 

Another concern raised at the meeting effects mostly those property owners that live on corners.  We live in a busy part of Metro Louisville and our streets see a significant amount of traffic. Much of this traffic fails to take turns at the proper depth, tearing up the yards of those living on those corners. One neighbor wanted to know if a sign, be it a speed limit sign or whatever could be placed at the corner in front of his home to force drivers to pay attention and take the turn at the correct depth. Better yet, it was suggested that we need curbs installed around corners, to further encourage people to take the turns at the correct depth.  I have been in contact with Councilman Kramer’s office regarding this issue as well who forwarded the issue to the Public Works Dept. Councilman Kramer’s office is going to be in contact with a Rick Storm regarding curbing, however Public Works suggested that Traffic Operations has in the past painted “Hazard Markers” (a thin yellow sign with black strips) around curves to encourage proper turning, but it does not always work. We will continue working on this issue with Public Works and Councilman Kramer’s office. Please note if you are not already aware – the concrete cones used by many homeowners in the area are against city ordinance and if someone were to have an accident involving those cones (even if it is the driver’s fault), the driver can sue you against your homeowners insurance policy for the damage. This is a complaint based offense meaning as long as there is not a complaint filed against you for having the cones, no one will force you to remove them, however if a neighbor calls and complains or if you or a neighbor within plain sight of your home has an issue with theirs, the city will ask you to remove them or you will face fines.  

The next general meeting for the association is May 10 and the next board meeting is April 12, 2007. Committees will be working hard and holding meetings in the meantime – we are always working for you!

 

 

January 24, 2007

In the interest of time, I going to do a quick update in bullet point format. I hope to get a more lengthy post done soon, but the newsletter may come out first.

• Please note there are some changes/additions to the website. There is now a board meeting minutes page that will be updated after each board meeting with the minutes from that meeting. In this way you can be updated on what was accomplished at the meeting without me doing double work. Several pages have been updated in the last week, if you have not looked around, take a moment to do so.

• The next newsletter will come out a week before the next general meeting – if you are interested in advertising in that issue, all artwork/info. must be turned in by February 1, 2007 to meghann5@hotmail.com.  Ads are $10 per 1/8 page ad in each issue. The newsletter is published 4 times a year. Anyone can advertise, though we reserve the right to refuse any advertising that is seen as inappropriate.

• Dues are due to the association is November of each year preceding the calendar year. For example, 2007 dues were due in November 2006.  PLEASE PAY YOUR 2007 DUES NOW! A list is due to ID with the current membership eligible for the group discount no later than January 31, 2007 – please make sure you have paid your dues. If you have any questions, please contact treasurer Roger Crum.

• There will be a representative from the health dept. at the general meeting in February to discuss Rats, please plan to attend this meeting to receive this valuable information. As well, elections will be held at the February meeting since we failed to make a quorum at the November meeting. This is a very important meeting, please plan now to attend.

• Board members have been working hard and putting in a lot of hours attending meetings hosted by Metro Govmt. in regards to issues that effect our area. Updates on all this info. will be given in the newsletter, at the meeting and eventually, on this site. Please “Stay Tuned”!

• Committees are forming for 2007 for issues such as lighting, activities, neighborhood watch, etc. If you are interested in serving on a committee, please contact the committee chair as listed on the committee page of this site.

Please keep checking the Neighborhood Watch Page for recent updates – we are having several issues in the neighborhood.

 

 

IMPORTANT – IF YOU SEE A RAT (OR RATS) OR HAVE EVIDENCE OF THEM ON YOUR PROPERTY (DROPPINGS, ETC.) PLEASE CALL 311 AND REPORT IT. THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL COME OUT AND BAIT AND SET TRAPS FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE HELP US ERADICATE THIS PROBLEM AND CALL 311 AT THE FIRST SIGN OF RATS!

 

RATS

We are starting to experience a serious problem with rats, especially along Woodgate Lane.  We have received several complaints from people wanting the association to do something about the problem. While there is nothing to association can do persay, we can pass along information on how homeowners can help themselves. They are beginning to be sighted in numbers even in daylight hours which means a large infestation is present. Please read the following article and do all you can to keep from making our neighborhood a nice home for them!

Integrated Pest Management Manual

Rats

This module is intended to serve as a source of basic information needed to implement an integrated pest management program for rats. Any pest management plan or activity must be formulated within the framework of the management zones where it will be implemented. Full consideration must be given to threatened and endangered species, natural and cultural resources, human health and safety, and the legal mandates of the individual parks. Recommendations in this module must be evaluated and applied in relation to these broader considerations.

 

Rats have caused more economic loss and more human suffering than any other vertebrate pest. From plague epidemics (the “Black Death” of Europe) to rat bites of inner- city children, from gnawing electrical wires in an attic to feeding on stored food in a warehouse, rats are a critical pest of humankind.

Rats have adapted well to living around people. So well, in fact, that rats are commonly called “domestic” rodents. They live and breed inside buildings and granaries, in city sewers and attics, in agricultural fields and warehouses, in ships and under concrete slabs. Although adapted to people, however, rats are wary. Hundreds can be living in, under, and around a complex of buildings with few people in the area aware of their existence.

Successful management of pest rats is not easy. It requires an integrated approach based on a good understanding of the biology and habits of pest rats, that combines effective inspection and monitoring with intelligent use of control tactics.

IDENTIFICATION AND BIOLOGY OF RATS

Major Pest Species of Rats
When we speak of rats, we are speaking of many different species, some pests, some not. In the United States, the two most important pest rats are the Norway rat and the roof rat. The two species look similar but are noticeably different both in appearance and in habits.

Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout). The most common pest rat in the United States, the Norway rat is also called the brown rat, sewer rat, or wharf rat. The adult is a large, stocky rat, from 12″-18″ from the nose to the tip of the tail, weighing 12-16 ounces. In contrast to the roof rat, the Norway rat’s tail is shorter than its head plus its body, its ears are small (cannot be pulled down to reach its eyes) and covered with hairs, and its nose is blunt.

Roof rat (Rattus (L)). A common rat of coastal areas, the roof rat is also called the black rat or the ship rat. The adult has a slender body, weighs 5-9 ounces, and measures 13″-18″ from the nose to the tip of the tail. In contrast to the Norway rat, its tail is longer than its head plus its body, its ears are large (can be pulled down to reach its eyes) and nearly hairless, and its nose is pointed.

Geographic Distribution
Norway rat. Found in every state in the United States and common throughout much of populated North America, Norway rats absent from sparsely-inhabited areas, particularly in the western states.

Roof rat. Roof rats occur mainly in coastal areas, including California, Oregon, Washington, the Gulf states, and the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states.

Life Cycle
Rats are born hairless, with eyes and ears closed. They don’t become furry and “rat-like” until they’re about two weeks old. They begin eating solid food at three weeks and imitate their mother to learn to forage, escape, and watch for danger. They are weaned at four or five weeks. Rats become independent of their mother and ready to start families of their own, at three months.

Norway rat. Norway rats breed at any time during the year, but more frequently in warm months. Gestation lasts 22-24 days. The size of the litter is usually 8-10 pups. There are 3-4 litters per year. Lifespan in the wild is usually about 6 months.

Roof rat. Root rats may breed throughout the year, but more commonly in warm months. Gestation lasts 20-22 days. The size of the litter usually 4-8 pups. A female may breed at 2-5 months of age and have an average of 5.4 litters per year. Life span in the wild is usually 9-12 months.

Seasonal Abundance
Outdoor rat populations tend to peak in summer to early fall. They tend to be at their lowest levels in late winter to early spring. Indoors, rat populations may remain at the same levels throughout the year, limited only by periodic shortages of food, water, or nesting sites.

Nests
Rats are social. They live together in colonies with well-defined territories and a social hierarchy or “pecking order.” Norway rats and roof rats prefer different types of nest sites.

Norway rat. Outdoors, Norway rats usually dig shallow burrows in the ground. The burrows are generally less than 18″ deep and 3′long, with a central nest. The main burrow opening is 2″-4″ in diameter. Hidden “bolt holes” are used for emergency escapes. Indoors, Norway rats will nest inside walls, underneath equipment, in cluttered storage areas, and similar sites, usually on the lower floors of a building.

Roof rat. The roof rat commonly nests above ground in trees, vine-covered fences, stacked lumber and woodpiles, and overgrown landscaping. Roof rats will sometimes nest in burrows if above-ground sites are limited. Indoors, roof rats prefer to nest in the upper levels of buildings in attics and ceiling and attic voids near the roof line. This species seems to be less dependent on man than the Norway rat and may live in forests far from human habitation, especially in warm areas.

Both species also nest in sewers and storm drains.

Range
Rats commonly travel 100′-150′ from their nests looking for food and water and patrolling their territory. They may have several “hotel” nest sites in an area and will move from home base to spend several days in one of these secondary nest sites.

Responses to Environmental Factors
Rat abundance is dependent on availability of food, water, and shelter. They need about an ounce of food and 1/2 fluid ounce of water daily, although the roof rat can get by on less. Both prefer to nest where water is easily available.

While the Norway rat prefers to feed on protein foods like meat, fish, insects, and pet food, the roof rat prefers a more vegetarian diet. It feeds on fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, vegetables, and tree bark. But the roof rat will also feed on garbage, pet food, and meat if it is readily available. Rats often cache or hoard food in hidden areas for use when food supplies run short.

Rats are wary of anything new that appears in their territory. This fear of new objects can make baiting and trapping difficult since rats will at first avoid baits, bait stations, and traps, and may come to associate them with danger as a management program proceeds.

When Norway and roof rats are found together, Norway rats will usually, but not always, displace roof rats.

Medical Importance
Rats have always been of medical importance due to their transmission of human diseases.

Direct effects. Rat bites, particularly in urban areas, may be a serious health problem. An estimated 14,000-24,000 bites to humans occur each year. Infants and helpless adults (unconscious, invalid, and elderly) are subject to attack by rats. A small percentage of those bitten develop rat-bite fever, a bacterial disease carried in the teeth and gums of many rats. All rat bites should receive medical attention.

Rats can spread Salmonella food poisoning, Weils disease (leptospirosis), trichinosis, and other diseases directly through contamination of food and water with their urine and feces.

Indirect effects. Rats may indirectly spread a number of serious human diseases by way of fleas and mites, most notably plague and murine (scrub) typhus fever. (See Pratt et al. [1986] for a complete discussion of rat-borne diseases).

Outbreaks of rat-associated diseases. Some of the diseases listed above can be fatal to humans. If disease transmission is suspected in your areas, contact your National Park Service Public Health Service representative.

Rabies. Rats have never been found to be infected with rabies in nature, and rabies transmission has never been documented in the United States. The United States Public Health Service recommends against anti-rabies treatment in the case of rat bite.

MONITORING AND THRESHOLDS FOR RATS

 

 

 

Sounds. Squeaks, gnawing sounds, clawing, and scrambling in walls are typical sounds of a rat infestation.

Droppings. A single rat may produce 50 droppings daily. Norway rat droppings are larger (3/4″) than roof rat droppings (1/2″). Determine if an area is currently infested by sweeping up old droppings, then reinspect after a week. Fresh droppings have a putty- like texture; old droppings crumble easily.

Burrows. Estimates of relative abundance in a limited area can be made by counting, mapping, and loosely plugging burrow entrances on a weekly basis. Burrows which are reopened the following week are active.

Nests. Roof rat nests are often visible in attics, or they may be found when vegetation is trimmed.

Urine Stains. Under ultraviolet light (blacklight), rat urine will glow blue-white.

Runways. Rats regularly travel the same routes. Outdoor runways appear as beaten paths in the ground. Grass will be worn down.

Smudge Marks. Oil and grease that rub off a rat’s fur build up on well-used runways.

Tracks. An adult rat’s footprint is about 3/4″ long. Rats may also leave a drag line (from their tail) in the middle of their tracks. A “tracking patch” can help determine the location and extent of rat activity. Place a light dusting of clay, unscented baby powder, or powdered limestone in suspected runways and near rat signs. Typical patch sizes range from 12″x4″ to 6″x18″. Examine the patch for tracks at regular intervals.

Gnawings. Rats constantly gnaw on hard surfaces. Gnawed holes may be 2″ or more in diameter.

Food Caches. Rats may store surprisingly large quantities of food in protected areas.

Pet excitement. Cats and dogs often probe an area of floor or wall where rats are active, particularly if the rats only recently invaded.

Odor. Heavy infestations have a distinctive odor. Experienced pest managers can smell the difference between a rat and a mouse infestation.

Learn to differentiate between fresh rat sign and old sign which may indicate old (non- active) infestation.

Evaluation of population size. Rat signs may be interpreted visually as follows.

Rat-free area or low rat population: no sign of rat presence.

Medium population: old droppings and gnawing common, one or more rats seen by flashlight at night, none during the day. Each rat seen at night usually indicates 10 or more elsewhere.

High population: fresh droppings, tracks, gnawing evident, three or more rats seen at night, one or more in daylight.

Estimates of rats present can also be made by placing premeasured, ground, nontoxic cereal bait in various locations to determined how much is eaten each night. Double the amount each night until the amount taken in one night levels off. Divide the amount by 1/2 oz. This will provide a very rough estimate of the minimum number of rats present.

In most circumstances the injury (threshold) level is one rat as determined by rat sighting or sign. The action level is one rat for population reduction programs and zero rats for prevention programs.

NON-CHEMICAL CONTROL OF RATS

Successful rat management programs use a combination of tools, procedures, and strategies. Some are lethal to the rat, some are not. Lethal procedures include the use of rodenticides, snap traps, and glue boards to quickly reduce a population. Nonlethal procedures include improving sanitation, reducing harborage, and rat-proofing buildings. Long- term, the most important tactics for reducing rat problems are in this second, nonlethal category, because the procedures reduce the environment’s capacity to support rats or block the rats’ access to buildings.

Before a park manager can decide what combination of strategies would be best for a particular situation, he or she needs to determine where the rats are nesting and feeding, locate their travel routes, and determine the extent of the infestation. This information is obtained through inspection and regular monitoring.

Improved Sanitation
Rats are attracted by food spills, open garbage, and food stored in accessible sites. Baiting and trapping programs often fail because the bait can’t compete with the rats’ regular food. Reducing the rats’ food will reduce the rat-carrying capacity of the site, as well as making lethal control programs more effective.

In urban settings, rats feed largely on garbage. Regular trash pickups at the end of each day, rather then storing trash overnight, and the use of rat-proof trash containers are relatively simple methods of reducing rat food sources. Damaged dumpsters and containers should be repaired or replaced and should always be kept closed overnight.

Pet food dishes and water dishes should not be left full overnight. Bird seed is a favorite rat food. Bird feeders should be equipped with seed catchers, or the dropped seed should be cleaned up every evening.

Food in warehouse-style storage should be rotated properly-first in, first out. Food should be stored on pallets, not on the ground, and there should be about 2′ of space between pallets and the side walls to permit inspection.

Harborage Reduction
Landscaping should not include thick hedges or bushes which obscure the ground. Ground covers such as ivy, which provide cover or runs for rats, should not be planted adjacent to buildings. High grass, weeds, wood piles, and construction debris should not be permitted near foundation walls. Dumpsters and outside garbage containers should sit on a paved or concrete pad. Indoors, reduce clutter in rarely-used rooms and organize storage areas.

Rat-Proofing
Building rats out of a structure, and keeping them out, is called rat-proofing.

Block openings around water and sewer pipes, utility lines, and air vents.
Install metal kick plates or sweeps on doors and metal jambs on windows and doors.
Screen air vents.
Seal any cracks or holes in foundations (above-and below-grade) and exterior walls.
Repair damaged roof soffits and seal any openings to the roof.
Repair any gnaw holes after stuffing them with steel or copper wool.
Equip floor drains with sturdy metal grates.
 

In roof rat areas, cables, trees, and pipes leading to or touching a structure should be rat- proofed with galvanized metal barriers.

Trapping
The snap trap is an effective method of killing rats when used correctly. Traps are especially useful when you wish to avoid the use of poisons, to eliminate bait shy or bait resistant rats, to avoid odors from dead rats in inaccessible places, or to collect live rats for ectoparasite or resistance screening. The best traps are those with expanded triggers (treadles) set for a light touch. Set the traps along runways with the trigger towards the wall, or tie the traps to pipes or rafters or wherever droppings, gnawing, grease marks, and other evidence of activity is found. The number one mistake in using traps is not using enough. (See Environmental Protection Agency [1991] for information on trapping).

Another way to trap rats is with glue boards. Glue boards are used much like snap traps. Secure the glue board with a nail or wire so it can’t be dragged away. Be aware that some people may protest the use of glue boards as inhumane, since the rat may struggle for some time.

Natural Enemies

Rats may be preyed upon by many other animals including dogs, cats, weasels, snakes, and owls. Rats are susceptible to a variety of diseases and parasites. Some natural enemies ranging from ferrets to bacterial toxins have been used in the past with varying degrees of success in rat control programs.

In abnormally crowded conditions or other stress situations, rats may display aggressive behavior toward each other, including cannibalism and abandonment of young.

CHEMICAL CONTROL OF RATS

Rodenticides are commonly used to provide rapid reduction of rat populations. There are three major formulations of rodenticide: toxic baits, water baits, and tracking powders. Fumigants are also used occasionally to fumigate burrow systems.

Toxic baits. These combine a poison with a food bait attractive to rats. Today, most baits are obtained ready-made as extruded pellets, or in a dry meal, or molded into paraffin blocks for wet sites. Some baits kill rats in a single feeding, some require that a rat feed a number of times. Some are anticoagulants (causing rats to bleed to death), some affect respiration, and others work by entirely different modes of action. They range in toxicity to people from very toxic to slightly toxic. Be sure to read the label and supporting information that comes with each product to ensure safe use.

Every rodenticide has a warning on the label to place the bait “in locations not accessible to children, pets, wildlife, and domestic animals, or in tamper-proof bait boxes.” What qualifies as a safe, inaccessible area needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

If you believe there is a risk to children or nontarget animals, the bait should be placed inside a tamper-proof bait box. A bait box is tamper-proof if a child or a pet cannot get to the bait inside. It is usually made of metal or heavy plastic. But a bait box is not truly tamper-proof unless it can be secured to the floor, wall, or ground.

In parks, there is the additional problem that there may be nontarget rodents that can find their way into bait stations (or traps, for that matter). Be sure to survey for these and adapt your management tactics to avoid harming them.

Water baits. These specially-formulated rodenticides are mixed with water and dispensed from “chick-founts,” or custom toxic-water dispensers. Since rats drink daily, water baits are effective when free water is in short supply. Water baits are less effective against roof rats. Be sure to only use water baits where no other animals or children can get to them.

Tracking powders. These are rodenticides mixed with a talc or powdery clay and applied into areas where rats live and travel. The powder sticks to the rats’ feet and fur and is swallowed when the rats groom themselves. Tracking powders are effective even where food and water are plentiful.

The rodenticide in tracking powders is 5 to 40 times more concentrated than in baits. Avoid applying tracking powder where the powder could become airborne and drift into nontarget areas, or where other nontarget animals may come in contact with it.

Fumigants. Several fumigants are available for burrow fumigation. Most are extremely hazardous and should only be used by experienced professionals. National Park Service policy for rat management emphasizes rodent-proofing rather than the use of rodenticides. Consult your regional Integrated Pest Management coordinator when considering their use.

 

Periodic surveys of buildings and grounds can reveal the existence of rat infestation. Inspection visits should be made every other week and increased or decreased according to the severity of the problem. Evening inspection using a powerful flashlight is the best way to see rats, but there are many signs of rat infestation besides the animals themselves. Rat sounds, droppings, burrows, urine stains, smudge marks, runways, tracks, gnawing damage, nests, food caches, pet excitement, and rat odors are all signs of rat activity.

IT IS TIME FOR THE HOLIDAY DOOR DECORATING CONTEST!!!

The holidays are quickly rolling in and it is time for the BENA annual door decorating contest! Decorate your front door(s) with some festive decorations for Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa or just wintertime fun and help make the neighborhood look festive!  Judging will be held the weekend of December 15th, please notify Meghann Frederick you plan to participate in the contest no later than December 13th!  There is a small prize as well as great bragging rights, so get creative and start decorating today!  E-mail Meghann of your planned participation at meghann5@hotmail.com no later than December 13th! A list of the participating homes will be posted after the judging is held so that neighbors can get out and see all the homes who participated!

 

IT IS TIME TO PAY DUES FOR 2007

DUES FOR EACH CALENDAR YEAR ARE DUE THE NOVEMBER BEFORE SO DUES FOR 2007 ARE NOW DUE!  PLEASE FORWARD YOUR $25 DUES TO THE ASSOCIATION AT:

BENA

PO BOX 20956

LOUISVILLE KY 40250

YOU WILL NOT BE RECEIVING ANY SORT OF STATEMENT OR THE LIKE IN THE MAIL TO SAVE COSTS TO THE ASSOCIATION SO WE CAN CONTINUE PUTTING YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLARS TO THE BEST USE! PLEASE SEND IN YOUR DUES TODAY! CHECKS SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO BRECKENRIDGE ESTATES.

 

November 5, 2006

The general meeting that was scheduled for and held on November 2, 2006 at the Buechel Fire Station failed to achieve a quorum (2/3 the membership in attendance) so elections were unable to be held.  Nominations, however, have been held and a vote will be taken at the next general meeting on January 18, 2007 to officially elect those nominated.  The board was nominated in essence as it has been the last 18 months (including Meghann Frederick, nominated to continue running as president) with the addition of Clancy DeCuir in Area 6, a neighbor who lives on Crawfordshire Drive.  No positions have any opposition in running at this point, however there is still time since elections have not been held for additional nominations to be made for the elections when they are held in January.  Topics discussed at the meeting included the block watch, the ongoing issue with the gentleman who is going door to door asking for money (see below), the possibility of snow removal as well as of signs to designate the neighborhood.

 

IMPORTANT ALERT

PLEASE READ

11/1/2006

As reported in the newsletter, there is a man in the neighborhood approaching people asking for $11 for gas for his truck supposedly parked a street over. This man knocked on the door of a home on Woodgate at 3am last night with the same story. The police were called but he fled and was not found. Please call the police as inconspicuously as you can if you see or are approached by him. He is a white male, appears to be in his early 30s with brown hair and is in foot or has been seen on bicycle.

 

October 23, 2006

It is past time for an update!  Please know that we have not forgotten about this website, simply had some obligations that have made it difficult to get in here and update!

On a personal note, because so many neighbors have been so kind and have been quietly watching and waiting to hear or have dropped by with gifts and food…Meghann had the twins on September 20, 2006.  We are all home now, though very long story short, little Isaiah has a very rare heart defect that will require open heart surgery in the coming months. He was in the NICU at Kosair for two weeks, while little Sadie came home with momma on September 23, 2006.  This is the reason (along with simply the incredible challenge of adjusting to taking care of two infants and recovering from the c-section) that this site has been so neglected.  We appreciate all who have been so thoughtful, all the kind wishes and prayers do not go unnoticed!

Now, on to association business….

The annexation of Crawfordshire Drive has been completed! Please join us in welcoming our new neighbors into the association, we look forward to meeting and getting to know all of you, as well as to your support of the association!

The picnic was a great success (see the pictures page), thank you to all who came out to participate.  The neighborhood yard sale seemed only lightly participated in…should we change the date? Does anyone have any thoughts on that topic?  Please share those thoughts at the upcoming general meeting or if you are unable to attend that meeting, contact your area representative.

Speaking of the upcoming meeting, the next general membership meeting is November 2, 2006 at the Buechel Fire Station from 6:30 to 8pm and this is the most important meeting of the year.  This is the annual meeting where elections are held for board positions.  The Officer positions of President and Treasurer are up for election, as are all at large member positions.  Please plan to attend this very important meeting.

There have been quite a few issues lately in the neighborhood that the neighborhood watch has been made aware of and we need to pass that information along to you for your safety.  Please take a moment to look at the Neighborhood Watch page.

More updates will follow in the coming days, so please check back!

 

September 19, 2006

Wow, I knew it had been a while since a new update had posted, with all that has gone on, I had no idea it had been this long!  Please accept heartfelt apologies for the amount of time that has gone by, the amount of things that have happened since the last update.  My updates will still happen and I will do my best to make them timely but at this point in my life, I am going to have to beg for a little patience!  So that you are aware, Meghann Frederick (who does these updates and maintains this website) is scheduled for a c-section delivery of the twins tomorrow, September 20, 2006. Meghann stepped down effectively as president at the general meeting in August and Dow has been working to fill any necessary duties she left behind until elections are held at the November general meeting.  Meghann has still been receiving some phone calls regarding neighborhood association business and while this is not necessarily a problem, her ability to return those phone calls will be diminishing to next to zero for the next several months beginning tomorrow.  Please direct all your questions and concerns regarding association business to other board members…see the contact page for that information.

So, since the last update…

The general meeting went really well, albeit very hot in the room!  We heard from Brightside regarding planting materials for our area and the programs that they offer. We heard from Walter Munday, our Neighborhood Liaison with the Department of Neighborhoods and we had a surprise visit by Councilman Kevin Kramer and Graham Honaker.  Councilman Kramer was so gracious and kind to recognize Meghann’s work on the association with a beautiful plaque and it is an evening she will never forget.  The plaque really though belongs to the many of you who have been working right alongside Meghann the whole way – we have gotten where we are as an association as a team and you all deserve the “kudos” as well.

The Annual neighborhood wide picnic seemed to be a big success for those who were able to make it out.  Check out the pictures on the pictures page – thank you Larry Gonterman for getting those submitted so that all could enjoy them.  We would like to express a sincere thank you to Larry Gonterman, Christy Lauano, Mary Vise, David DiSalvo and all those who helped to make the picnic possible.  We would also like to thank the Buechel Fire Department for coming out, the children always love to see the big red trucks up close!  The picnic is a lot of fun each year and we hope that attendance will only continue to grow.

The Annual Neighborhood Wide Yard Sale is right around the corner, it is scheduled for Saturday September 30, 2006, have you started cleaning out your treasures yet?  Signs will be placed all around the area and an ad will be placed in the paper, each individual homeowner will decide whether or not to participate. Just as last year, please help us to enforce parking on only the even side of the street to allow for traffic flow.

For those who are taking part in the group rate through ID, the Fall Junk Pick Up Day has been set to correspond with the yard sale and will happen on Monday, October 2, 2006.  Whatever you do not sell on Saturday, try to have a charity pick up or if that is not possible, you can set it out for the trash on Monday morning. Again, this is ONLY for those neighbors who have signed up with ID through the group discount program.  Please be patient this day as well as there will be so much to be removed from the neighborhood, it may take ID into Tuesday morning to complete.  For a list of those items ID WILL NOT pick up, please contact ID directly at 638-9000.

There have been several important alerts to pass along through the neighborhood watch, please be sure to visit the neighborhood watch page.

Keep up the great work BENA, together we are making a real difference in our area!

 

August 1, 2006

***Alert*** – Please see the Neighborhood Watch Page for an important alert.

The next general meeting for the neighborhood association is this Thursday, August 3, 2006 from 6:30-8pm at Midlane Park Baptist Church at 6500 Six Mile Lane. Please note the change of location, Buechel Fire Station was unavailable.  We will have Matt Nally with Operation Brightside in attendance to speak on planting materials as well as our Neighborhood Liaison, Walter Munday, to answer any questions regarding the Department of Neighborhoods and the programs they offer.

Also be reminded that tonight, August 1, 2006, is the Neighborhood Watch night, neighbors are encouraged to sit on their porches with the front porch light on in a show of solidarity that we are watching our neighborhood!

As was printed in the most recent newsletter (which you should have already received), here is the list of Phase 2 lights:

4109 Mannerdale

4203 Gingerwood

3121 Roy Pom

4013 Landside

4010 Portia Court

4209 Graf

3009 Arjay

3361 Eastside

4313 Hunsinger

3305 Behr Court

7509 Colson

7621 Colson

 

July 7, 2006

A board meeting was held last night and there were MANY items discussed and handled at the meeting we would like to update neighbors on. There are so many items, that I will not go into great detail on each one, look for more details in the newsletter that will hit your doors in approximately 2 weeks. If you have any questions regarding an item listed here, however, feel free to contact a board member and we will be happy to explain in further detail. For ease of reading, I am posting these items in outline format.

I. Lighting – Phase 1 of the lighting project as well as now Phase II have been completed! There have been a few issues with billing with Phase I, but we think they have all been worked out (if your light has been taken over by BENA and you are still being billed, please contact Treasurer Roger Crum). I will post a list of the Phase II lights soon.

II. Activities – The board voted to make the activities the association has the last quarter of the year on recurring dates so that neighbors can more easily plan for them.  The neighborhood wide picnic will be the second Saturday in September each year (which makes it September 9th this year) and the Neighborhood Wide Yard Sale will be held the last Saturday in September each year (which makes it September 30 this year).  We will schedule with ID for those who use the group rate trash pickup for our fall Junk Day to fall the Monday after the Yard Sale, which this year will be October 2.  The activities committee needs your help! We need those who would enjoy helping to plan the Neighborhood Wide picnic to please come forward as soon as possible, we need to schedule a meeting and get going on plans for the picnic. PLEASE contact Meghann Frederick at 499-1648 or meghann5@hotmail.com as soon as possible if you are interested in helping with the picnic. See the activities page for more information.

III. Signage – The board voted to purchase 50 signs that will be approximately the size of those you see for real estate the be used to announce upcoming meetings for the association.  This will allow for approximately 5 signs in each area to be posted the week before meetings and taken down promptly after the meeting, as well as help with advertising the Neighborhood Yard Sale, etc.  If you have a high visibility property and would not mind the association placing signs out as early as the Friday before a Thursday meeting and picking them up when the meeting is over, please contact Joe Gillette.

IV. The board voted to sell space in the quarterly newsletter for advertising to help cover the cost of the newsletter itself and costs associated with advertising other neighborhood events.  An 1/8 page ad in the newsletter will sell for $10 in each issue.  If you have a business or even attend a church you would like to advertise in the next newsletter, please contact Meghann Frederick or David Disalvo NO LATER THAN JULY 15th. We can accept any Microsoft format file (i.e. Word, Publisher, etc.), any .jpg or .gif file via e-mail or we can take paper copy and scan it in to get it placed in the newsletter.  This is a great opportunity for businesses in the area to get inexpensive, targeted advertising to those who live in the area.

V. The next general meeting is scheduled for August 3, 2006 from 6:30-8pm.  We will have a speaker from Operation Brightside in attendance to talk and take questions about the best plantings for our area and make suggestions for projects/plantings we could do along Breckenridge Lane to spruce up and delineate Breckenridge Estates. More details will be available in the newsletter.

VI. After the August 3, 2006 General Membership meeting, Meghann Frederick, President of the association will be stepping down from her post.  Dow Buford, the Vice President, will cover all her duties until elections are held in November.  All that will be left to handle at that point are a couple of board meetings and leading the General meeting with elections on November 2nd.  All at large board member positions as well as the President and Treasurer positions will be up for election in November. Per the bylaws, all at large members can be re-elected and serve an unlimited number of terms. Officer positions (President and Treasurer) can serve two consecutive terms and their positions are two year terms.  Meghann will not be running for re-election as President of the association as she will be having twins sometime in September or early October. Please consider serving your neighborhood either as an at large member or as an officer.

VII. The Neighborhood Watch Development is coming right along, there is another meeting scheduled for July 20 at Buechel Fire Station.  Sticker decals that can be placed in home windows that show you are participating in the Neighborhood Watch and say something to the effect if “We are watching you and we will call the police” will be available for all homeowners at the general membership meeting on August 3, 2006.  Along with LMPD and the Department of Neighborhoods, all are encouraged to take part in the Neighborhood Night Out on August 1, 2006.  District 6 police department will have a cookout that evening and all neighbors are encouraged to turn on their porch lights and sit on their porches this evening in a showing of support for Neighborhood Watches.

VIII. Several pages on this site have been updated including meeting dates, activities and contact information. Be sure to check out the updated information.

 

 

June 30, 2006

Unfortunately, we are experiencing some thefts in the area that we want to be sure that neighbors are aware of so that they can keep a watch on their own belongings as well as for anyone acting suspicious in the neighborhood.

On June 23, 2006, sometime between 12:30pm and 4pm, a new Toro lawnmower was stolen from behind the home of 4200 Mannerdale. The lawnmower was not locked up, but was behind the home.

On June 28, 2006 at about 4:45pm, a child’s red wagon was stolen off the back porch of 4008 Landside Drive.

Both of these thefts occurred in broad daylight, behind people’s homes. The homeowners at 4008 Landside Drive were even home at the time, they just unfortunately, did not see someone taking the wagon. If you have any information regarding these thefts or if either pieces of property show up in your property, please contact LMPD at 574-LMPD.

 

 

Announcement: The board meeting has been rescheduled for Thursday, July 6, 2006 from 7 – 8:30pm at the Buechel Fire Station. Please make a note of it and let all your neighbors know – many do not have internet access! Thank you!

 

 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: The board meeting that was scheduled to take place this evening, 6/15/06 at 7pm at the Buechel Fire Station, is being postponed due to lack of ability by board members to attend. We are working on rescheduling that meeting and will post the new date and time as soon as it is done. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

 

 

June 11, 2006

Some updates have been made to the BENA webpage and we hope that you will take a moment to check them out!

The next board meeting is scheduled for this Thursday, June 15, 2006 at the Buechel Fire Station from 7pm-8:30pm.  Topics of discussion will include: Lighting – following up on some residents who are continuing to receive bills from LG&E that the association took over (please be patient with this – LG&E is making some mistakes but as soon as we call them on the mistakes, they are fixing it) as well as further discussion regarding Phase 2 of the lighting project; Neighborhood Watch meeting update/progress/plans; filling out paperwork for the grant from Councilman Kramer’s office as our 501c4 application has been approved; possible dates/venues for the summer picnic; planning the next general meeting to be held in August (Brightside is to come and speak); updates from all currently working committees – review and discussion of any committees that may need to be formed; planning and development of plan to incorporate Crawfordshire Drive into the association (we are currently in the process of changing the bylaws); discussions and planning for the contingency of Dow taking over as President in the event Meghann is put on bed rest (for those who are not aware, the president of the association, Meghann Frederick, is expecting twins!); discussing possibility of having signs made to announce all general meetings; discussion of offering advertising space in newsletters.  As you can see this meeting will be very productive and we will post results of all these items shortly thereafter.

Summer is beginning to kick into full swing and we have several properties for sale or that have sold in recent weeks…we want to be sure we express our fondest wishes to those leaving the neighborhood as well as to welcome the new neighbors moving in. If you notice a property for sale near you, please advise either your area representative or a welcoming committee member so that we can extend them a proper welcome into the neighborhood!

The Neighborhood Watch Development committee held a meeting and the results of that meeting as well as a great survey for homeowners to take regarding Home Security is being posted on their page on this site, please check that out!

Have you ever been sitting at home and had one of those light bulb moments regarding something the association could work on to improve the community? Make sure your share those light bulb moments with one of the members of the board, we are here to serve you!

 

May 19, 2006

Our apologies for the length of time between updates…as many already know Insight caused prblems for most of its customers city wide while they were processing their upgrades and that is whythe site was down for nearly 2 weeks! But we are back up and running and have news to share!

The most recent general membership meeting was held last night at the Buechel Fire Station and we appreciate all who came out in spite of the weather!  On the top of the list was the vote to annex Crawfordshire which was approved by the vote unanimously!  We will begin working with the Department of Neighborhoods immediately to change the bylaws to include Crawfordshire and extend our welcome to them into Breckenridge Estates!  Phase 1 of the lighting project has been completed and the lighting committee is working hard on Phase 2.  Many wanted to know what lights are part of Phase 2 and the reason we have not published that list as of yet is we are still working with LG&E on placement issues – there are a few we want one place that cannot go there for various reasons. As soon as we work out the “kinks” of the lighting placement, we will publish the addresses where those lights will go up.  Residents we reminded, if they have not seen lights go up in their area or do not within the next couple of months, it is because there is not yet enough membership to support paying for the light in their area.  Residents are encouraged to talk to neighbors and help us in the membership effort so that we can help residents with safety and put up lights.  John Ford with Inspections, Permits and Licenses came to speak about property maintenance issues and how that entity helps to resolve them.  He was full of a lot of great information and many resident questions were asked and answered.  We will work to put much of those details together into a coherent format and get that information out.  The open forum time was short as it appeared everyone was happy with how the board is handling neighborhood issues, no new issues were brought up.

The next general meeting is scheduled for August 3, 2006.  The speaker at that meeting will be a representative from Brightside to talk about how we can beautify the neighborhood, be it from a neighborhood wide planting project to information for the individual homeowner on what is the best plant materials for our area of the country.  We will also have our annual picnic, though the date for that event has not yet been set.  We are still in need of volunteers for the activities committee, if you are interested in helping on this committee, please contact one of the activities committee chairs.

Good wishes to all as the school year comes to an end, we hope to have a wonderful, safe summer in Breckenridge Estates.  Please continue to check the website for updates, we will continue to post any information we feel is important for residents to know!

 

 

April 21, 2006

BENA held a board meeting last evening, April 20, 2006 at the Buechel Fire Station.  The meeting went well and much was accomplished, but the most important item is The general membership meeting scheduled for May 11 has now been changed!  Due to scheduling conflicts, the general membership meeting will now be held Thursday, May 18, 2006 at Buechel Fire Station. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes, it was beyond our control.  You will receive a one page reminder flyer on your door closer to the date of the meeting.  We are looking into having a representative from Operation Brightside come and talk about their organization and about specific plants and landscaping plans that work best in our area. More information on this will follow as the details are firmed up.

Don’t forget – the junk pick up day for those neighbors using the group deal with ID is THIS MONDAY April 24, 2006.

The first Neighborhood Watch meeting has been scheduled for June 1, 2006 at the Buechel Fire Station at 7pm.  If you have any interest in the watch, from simply learning about how the Watch works to interest in serving as a block captain, please attend this meeting.

We are so excited to see almost all of the Phase 1 lights burning bright at night and are pleased to announce the board voted on Phase 2 and voted to move ahead with Phase 2 immediately!  There are some areas of the neighborhood (especially areas 6, 8 and 9) that are lagging behind on membership percentages and the amount of lighting going up in those areas reflect that fact.  Please consider joining soon if you have not already.  The association is not just about lighting, we are not just about trash, we are not just about activities, we are not just about safety…the association is about all of these things and more. Anything that will improve the standard of living for residents of Breckenridge Estates, that is what we are striving to accomplish. Join today and see the light…..and the savings…..and the safety…..and so much more.  Visit the Join page and send in your $25 dues now!

 

 

 

Junk Pick Up Day has been scheduled!

For all you members of the association who have signed up with Industrial Disposal under the group rate, there will be a junk pick up day on Monday, April 24th!  This is the day when you can set out more than just the one bulk item you are allowed each week. There are a few restrictions on what you can set out and they ask if you plan to set out any single item weighing over 50 lbs., that you contact them so they can be sure to have the “back power” on the truck to get the item picked up.  The restrictions include, but are not limited to (for a full list of what is not allowed, please contact ID directly):

Anything with refrigerant in it or has ever had refrigerant in it i.e. refrigerators, air conditioners, etc.

Paint cans if they still have paint in them.

Yard waste – Yard waste pick up does begin in April but it has a separate pick up day and cost. If you have not already received a yellow postcard outlining how to sign up for yard waste pickup, please contact ID directly.

Batteries including car and lawn mower batteries.

ID can be reached during regular business hours at 638-9000.  Again, this pick up day is only offered to current members of BENA who have signed up with ID, they will not pick up from any house that is not on their list!

 

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT IT

FIRST PHASE OF LIGHTING FOR BRECKENRIDGE ESTATES GOING UP!

The lighting committee for BENA is very excited to announce that the first phase of street lighting to be paid for by the association is going up/transferring contracts as we speak!  Below is a list of the approximate addresses where each light will be located in the first phase. About half of these lights are already up and running so the association is taking over paying for those lights.  Decisions on what would be part of the first phase were based on the current membership tally at the start of the process of Phase 1 (several months ago) and safety issues including intersections, dead ends and school bus stops.  The lighting committee has already met on Phase 2 and we anticipate for those lights to go up within the coming months.  Phase One, we believe, has already made it through the bidding process with LG&E as several United Electric trucks have been seen out looking at/assessing poles, etc.  We can make no guarantees as to when the lights on this list that are not currently on will be turned on, but we are pushing as hard as we can to make that happen no later than the end of March.

Phase One Lighting Location List (all are approximate)

6722 Six Mile Lane  (Six Mile and Woodgate)

4330 Arjay Lane   (Woodgate and Arjay)

4207 Landside Drive   (Woodgate and Landside)

4311 Woodgate Lane   (Woodgate and Gingerwood)

4211 Woodgate Lane   (Woodgate and Mannerdale)

4210 Mannergate   (Woodgate and Mannergate)

3010 Cromarty

4112 Graf Drive   (Cromarty and Graf)

4103 Graf Drive   (Landside and Graf)

4101 Graf Drive   (Graf and Roypom)

4001 Gingerwood   (Landside and Gingerwood)

4100 Gingerwood   (Roy and Gingerwood)

4115 Landside Drive   (Landside Drive and Landside Court)

4103 Landside  (Mid Street)

3215 Pomeroy   (Pomeroy and Pomer Court)

3207 Pomeroy   (Pomeroy and Mannergate)

4109 Mannergate   (Mid Street)

4100 Mannerdale   (Mannerdale and Roypom)

7407 Colson

7508 Six Mile   (Six Mile and Fortas Court)

3346 Eastside   (Mannergate and Eastside)

3101 Pomeroy   (Pomeroy and Graf)

3104 Pomeroy

3119 Pomeroy

3201 Pomeroy   (Pomeroy and Mannerdale)

4013 Woodgate   (Pomeroy and Woodgate)

We are very excited about the progress being made on lighting in the neighborhood.  Lighting is one of the highest rated concerns on neighbors minds due to safety and crime prevention concerns and the association is dedicated to getting as many lights up as fast as we can as supported by membership.  98% of the lights listed above are on one side of the neighborhood because the southeast section of the neighborhood’s membership tallies are coming in very slowly.  As soon as those tallies start coming up, lights will start going up in those areas.  The locations for those lights that will be part of Phase 2 will be posted as soon as the locations/funds needed for them are approved by the board and the process has begun with LG&E.

 

It has been a long time since the last update…please read on for many more important bits of information…

We are experiencing a really great percentage of return for memberships from 2005 to 2006 and it continues to reinforce the confidence in the association and its longevity.  There are still approx. 10% of people who were members in 2005 who have not paid their 2006 dues.  A list of current membership was given to Industrial Disposal the end of January, so if you have not paid your dues and have been taking advantage of the group discount offered by ID, please be prepared for your trash bill to go up the next billing cycle.  To continue taking advantage of the considerable group discount offered by ID, be sure to get your 2006 dues paid today!

As part of the group deal with ID, we are entitled to a free large trash pick up day in April, as we did in October.  That large pick up day is being scheduled and will be posted as soon as we get it approved through ID.

Crime is an ongoing concern for all residents of Louisville, including those in Breckenridge Estates.  A neighborhood watch is beginning to take shape and in the meantime we are trying to make sure we keep neighbors informed of all the happenings in the area.  There have been a few complaints lately (that have already been passed on to LMPD) to make you aware of.

1) On the north side of Breckenridge Lane, a woman has been spotted knocking on doors in the middle of the day, trying the handle, then moving on to the next house, presumably looking for an unlocked door.  Please be sure to always keep your home secure.  A woman has also been spotted on this side of Breckenridge Lane following delivery trucks and taking packages left on the front porch.  If you are expecting a package and know you will not be home, try to instruct the deliverer to leave the package somewhere more secure (or at least out of site) than the front porch.

2) About a month ago on the South side of Breckenridge Lane, a man was walking the neighborhood and approaching anyone outside or anyone whose front door was open (he was knocking) and asking for money.  It is believed this is the same man who has approached several neighbors at the gas station on Breckenridge Lane and Landside Drive asking for gas money.  Several complaints have been given to LMPD.

3) Just yesterday, on the south side of Breckenridge Lane, a man was seen looking into resident’s garages and homes if there were any open windows to be able to see into.

Each of these three examples are seeming to happen midday, in broad daylight, so please be mindful of your surroundings and if you are home during the day and see anything suspicious, please report it to LMPD.

The next board meeting is scheduled for April 20, 2006 from 7-8:30pm at Buechel Fire Station.

The next general membership meeting is scheduled for May 11, 2006 from 6:30-8pm, location TBA.

 

February 17, 2006

The General Membership meeting for BENA went very well on February 9th at St. Michael Orthodox Church.  We held it at that facility to ensure we had plenty of space for everyone and we certainly ended up with room to spare!  It was a good turnout with several members who had never attended a BENA meeting before!

First, please let me (Meghann) apologize for not getting these updates posted in a more timely fashion.

The membership stands at approx. 375 households and there are still approx. 40 households who have not paid their 2006 dues. We understand life gets busy and just ask that you please send in your $25 2006 annual dues as soon as possible. That address is: BENA P.O. Box 20956 Louisville, KY 40250.  We are very excited that we have broken the 1/2 way mark in membership and look forward to reaching that 100% finish line soon!  With 100% participation, we could start offering things like snow removal and other concerns neighbors have that are just too costly to handle yet.

Sgt. Anthony Smothers and Officer John Leonard were in attendance to talk about crime as well as the benefits and process to start a Neighborhood Watch.  Many people signed up to help with the effort and we are striving to get that process underway presently.  Sgt. Smothers and Officer Leonard also reinforced the need for the public to keep their eyes and ears open and report any suspicious activity to the police.  You can do this entirely anonymously by calling 311 or by calling 574-LMPD.  Your tips helped to catch the juveniles who caused so much destruction in the neighborhood last year and continue to be a vital part of catching criminals.  You can also contact Sgt. Smothers or Officer Leonard directly at the station at 574-2187.

The membership was updated on the progress of projects being handled by BENA including the most pressing issue at this time, lighting.  The lighting committee has been in contact with LG&E and given them the go ahead to begin their processes to get the first phase of lighting up and going. The lighting committee took a vote per recommendation by LG&E, and have voted to standardize all the lights BENA takes over/puts up.  There arewo main types of lights: Mercury Vapor which is a higher wattage lamp (meaning it consumes more energy and costs more to run) that gives white light and High Pressure Sodium which uses less wattage, gives out more light in a yellow hue and does not carry the environmental concerns upon disposal that Mercury Vapors do.  All lights put up or taken over by BENA will be High Pressure Sodium lights.  This includes lights that are currently up and are currently Mercury Vapor, they will be switched out for the High Pressure Sodium lamps.  We are working hard and pushing LG&E to have the first phase up and going by the end of February but because LG&E has to bid out the work, it will more than likely be March before the first phase is completed.  As soon as phase 1 is complete, the lighting committee will begin developing and putting into place Phase 2.  That involves deciding what lights and where will be next (based on membership in the area and the need level present), then working with LG&E again to get the second phase going.  The lighting committee feels an absolute bare minimum number of lights for the neighborhood is a little over 60, and that is barely even acceptable.  The committee feels a little over 80 is more what is needed and even more than that would be desirable to light up the neighborhood.  However, we cannot just go out and put all those lights up at once, membership numbers have to be there, as well as membership loyalty. Each light carries a five year contract so if people are not loyal to paying their dues each year, the association runs the risk of going under for not being able to pay LG&E.  Lighting is an absolute key element to safety and crime prevention and the association is committed to meeting the neighborhood’s lighting needs as quickly as the membership supports it.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact any of the board members. Please be sure to pay your 2006 dues, join if you have not already joined (don’t forget the fabulous deal offered by ID to BENA members) and continue to support the association. The next board meeting and general meetings are posted on the Meetings page. Take care!

Don’t forget – tonight, February 9, 2006 – General Membership Neighborhood Wide Meeting

6:30pm-8pm

St. Michael Orthodox Church – Hikes Lane

6:30pm – Refreshments

7:00 – Announcements

LMPD

Q/A & Forum Time

See you there!

 

January 22, 2006

There are a few important updates to share as well as some important corrections to make!

First, it was announced in the January 11, 2006 update that the board had voted to annex Crawfordshire Drive into the neighborhood.  We were given a little bit of misinformation in that we were told the board needed to vote on the matter, when in fact, the entire membership needs to vote on the matter. According to the bylaws, we cannot hold a vote to change the bylaws (annex Crawfordshire), without giving 21 days notice before the vote is to be held. We do not have 21 days before the next general membership meeting on February 9, 2006, so this matter will be voted on at the following general meeting in June. We will research and share more information on this prospect as time goes on, and we apologe for passing along misinformation!

Most importantly, our general membership meeting to be held February 9, 2006 will be held at St. Michael Orthodox Church on Hikes Lane from 6:30-8pm. Refreshments will begin at 6:30 and the meeting will begin at 7. We will have Sgt. Anthony Smothers and Resource Office John Leonard with us to give updates on the recent crime issues, the increased patrols being run by LMPD and to give information and advice on starting Neighborhood Block Watches. (All of this information should have hit your door in the form of a flyer within the last week – if you have any questions, feel free to contact your Area Representative.) We will need to find block captains for each block in the neighborhood so please consider helping out your neighbors in this capacity.

We sincerely hope that all is well with you and yours. Please be sure if you are unable to attend the February 9, 2006 general meeting, to contact your area representative with any issues you would like to be addressed!

 

January 11, 2006

Happy New Year! I try really hard to update once a week…as you can see it has been right at one month and I apologize…the holidays get in everyone’s way for a while I think! There is so much happening with BENA that I am excited to share!

First, an update on the most recent board meeting. The board was scheduled to meet in December but due to inclement weather, we were unable. The board met on January 5, 2006 and handled several very important items.

    1) 2006 dues are now due! ID will be requesting an updated list of members for the year to maintain their group discount eligibility list no later than January 31st – Make sure your name is on that list, get your 2006 dues in now! To the over 200 people who have already paid for 2006, thank you! Flyers will be going out very soon with information regarding the association, a reminder to pay your dues and notice of the February 9, 2006 General Membership meeting. This will be your reminder to pay your dues…again, make sure you do not miss this list for ID! For information on how to join, visit the Joining page or contact Roger Crum at 491-0199.

2) We have been working closely with LMPD to stop the rash of crime the area is experiencing. While we have not stopped it entirely, we feel we are making great progress. LMPD has increased patrols in the area and their presence has been noted and felt and it is making a difference! Several of the crimes that were committed last year in the area are coming to their court dates now and those caught, are paying their penalties. But we cannot catch them if you do not file reports and keep your eyes and ears open! We are hoping to have a representative from LMPD at the February 9 meeting to give details, helpful hints and other information on starting Neighborhood Block Watches. We can speed this process up significantly if someone from each block will step up to serve as Block Captains. Block Captains are a point of contact for everyone on their block when people see suspicious activity (AFTER having called the police of course) as well as when they have experienced a loss so that the Watch Committee can come together and work toward finding solutions. The more informed we all stay, the better we can make decisions to stop the problem! If you are interested in serving as a Block Captain for your block, please contact Steve O’Neill at 491-7679.

3) Board meetings as well as general meetings have now been set through the spring. Please see the Meetings page for these details. The board has been meeting on a monthly basis since its beginning in June of 2005 and we feel we have reached a point where we can begin meeting every other month.

4) The lighting committee has gained most of the information it needs to sit down with LG&E and begin Phase 1 of the lighting.  We are in the process of trying to set up a time to meet with them and get the process underway. We hope this will not take more than a couple of weeks from the time of the meeting to the time the lights are being billed to BENA and the new lights in Phase 1 are up, but we will not know a specific time frame until we have met with LG&E.

5) BENA Board has voted to annex Crawfordshire Drive into Breckenridge Estates. Crawfordshire Drive runs off of Hunsinger Lane and sits in between several neighborhoods, but did not have one to call their own. Crawfordshire Drive will become part of Area 6 in BENA. We are excited to welcome the residents of Crawfordshire to the neighborhood!

February 9, 2006   6:30pm-8pm   BENA General Membership Meeting

The next general membership meeting for BENA will be held Thursday, February 9, 2006 from 6:30-8pm. We are currently working on a location that can accommodate us with little or no cost to the association.  The last several meetings have been held at Buechel Fire Station and they have been very hospitable, but we have simply reached numbers to great to comfortably sit in the Fire Station meeting room.  We will announce the location as soon as we find one that will meet our needs. We are working to get a representative from LMPD to this meeting and we look forward to seeing and meeting homeowners from the newly annexed Crawfordshire Drive. There will be updates on Lighting progress as well as forum time for you to express concerns/desires and ask questions of the BENA board. Refreshments will begin at 6:30 with time to come and meet and greet neighbors and the body of the meeting will begin at 7, running until 8pm. If you cannot make it to the meeting but have concerns you would like addressed publicly, please contact your Area representative and they will be sure the concern is discussed.

Flyers will be hitting all doors within the coming days with reminders of the meeting and other information, look for them soon!